Cam Whitmore’s path to Denver has already started to look like more than just a fresh stop. After Washington traded him to Cleveland in mid-August, the Cavaliers waived him and didn’t bring him back. The Nuggets then signed the former first-round pick to a two-way contract, a low-risk swing on a young, athletic wing at a position that has become especially valuable in Denver after the team parted ways with Peyton Watson.
That gamble has paid off early in camp and preseason. Whitmore has quickly become one of the Nuggets’ more noticeable players, and he flashed exactly why in Tuesday’s win over Utah. He scored 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting in 15 minutes and showed off the burst and vertical pop that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place, punctuating the night with a two-handed slam.
On Thursday, David Adelman said Whitmore has found a “new life” with the Nuggets, adding that at 22, he is still in the process of learning and developing. Adelman also praised the wing’s attitude, which has stood out as much as the box score production.
That matters because Whitmore’s issues in Washington weren’t about talent. Brian Keefe said Whitmore fell out of the rotation in early December because he wasn’t meeting “certain standards,” with the concern centered on him not playing team basketball. He never got the chance to work his way back before being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis at the end of the month, a diagnosis that ended his season.
Washington ultimately moved on, viewing him as expendable with other talented wings in the mix. Then Cleveland waived him. For Whitmore, that sequence had to land hard.
Whitmore said the first thing on his mind when he stepped on the court for Denver was defense. That side of the floor is what hurt him in Washington, and it’s also what he’ll have to keep delivering if he wants to stick with the Nuggets, or with any NBA team for the long haul. So far, he appears to understand exactly what’s at stake.
Now, after being traded for the second time in as many years and left without a home by his next team, Whitmore gets a chance to show Denver he can be part of a group chasing another title with Nikola Jokić.
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Anthony Davis Just Sparked A Chicago Legacy Debate Wizards Fans Will Notice
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The conversation also carried extra weight because several of the names he discussed have dealt with major injury issues over the years, a reminder of how much talent and adversity can be wrapped into one citys basketball story. For Wizards fans, the topic lands with added intrigue because Davis own future remains unsettled, so even a lighthearted ranking from a current NBA star ends up feeling connected to a bigger question about where his next chapter will unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Kyshawn George May Be Giving The Wizards An Answer They Need
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For a Wizards group still searching for reliable help in the backcourt and on the wing, that matters. Georges ability to make quick decisions and keep the ball moving could become more valuable if Washington is forced to navigate stretches without Trae Young, and his growth gives the team another possible answer in a rotation that still has plenty to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Kendrick Perkins Just Set A Wild Ceiling For The Wizards
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Anthony Davis is already giving the front office and fan base something to build around after brushing off trade rumors and making it clear he plans to be available this season. In a preseason game, Davis led Washington with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Young and Dybantsa both added to the picture of a roster that suddenly has a lot more intrigue than it did not long ago. [Read more 🡒]